A BEE thread....for those interested in beekeeping.

[Amiga]

This weekend I tried to make my own fondant bee food…
The stuff came out like thick golden syrup. So, I reheated it to 245 and let it steam off for 20 minutes…
This time it cooled to a super thick golden glue that made the Labreah Tar Pits look arid…

So, being “clever” I added in tons of corn starch and folded it in…
Waaa Laaa the perfect soft fondant consistency!

After making 20lbs of this stuff, over 6 hours, I looked up info on "bees and Corn Starch" on the internet.
The shocking results were not even subtle!

DANGER! DANGER! DANGER!
I found out that had I fed this much corn starch to my bees, I would have killed off my whole hive with in a week.
turns out that corn starch kills bee with in 3 days of dysentery!

So I blew 6 hours and over $20 making “Rat poison” for my honey bees….
So, of course, I trashed it all…. I am so angry….

I won't tell you not to be angry, I respect people's feelings.

At the same time, you might consider that you did a very good thing looking it up before giving it to your bees. You saved yourself money and heartache! You did well.

This was your first go at fondant . . . many of us don't come up with what we were aiming for the first time.

Have you seen this? It worked for me. http://www.honeybeesuite.com/how-to-make-fondant-from-table-sugar/

 

[1muttsfan]

Sorry, but - :loI:. I have had similar fiascos.

On the bright side at least you avoided disaster by researching before you experimented!

 

[Hatchery Hive]

Sorry, but - :loI:. I have had similar fiascos.

On the bright side at least you avoided disaster by researching before you experimented!

True....

THANKS GUYS

 

[sunflower4you]

We just make sugar cakes by using just enough water to wet the dry sugar and then put it in a cake pan to dry for a few days. It makes a giant sugar cube!

 

[Stacykins]

Making hard sugar candy for your bees is pretty easy too. Just don't let it caramelize, or else it will give them dysentery.

I just made some today. A candy thermometer is the most important tool. I also keep a bowl of cold water next to the pot to drop some of the hot sugar into. That way I know for sure it is at soft ball, firm ball, soft crack, etc. I pour it into my mold pan when it is between soft and hard crack, a pretty fine line. But it stays nice and clear at that stage, no risk of caramelizing.

Once it cools, I give them the entire block of hard candy.

 

[cutechick53]

@Hatchery Hive I love your avatar pic!

 

[mak1]

have you guys put pollen substitute?

 

[KingOfFools]

@Hatchery Hive
 I love your avatar pic!

Agreed!

 

[Hatchery Hive]

Thanks I designed that logo myself...

Also, Today is Feb 9th

On warmer days my bees are flying about now in pretty large numbers.
so, I think this whole fondant thing is academic, at this point in the year, for a hive this strong.

It was 57f outside when I took this picture.

 

[mak1]

pretty good hive